Visions in Death (In Death #19)(92)

Eve circled around them, and into the corridor. She needed to know something. To do anything.

When she saw Roarke coming toward her, when she saw his face, her knees went to water.

"She's not—"

"No." He took the coffee from her because her hands had started to shake. "She's still in surgery. Eve..." He set the coffee on a rolling tray so that he could take both of her hands in his.

"Just tell me."

"Three broken ribs. Her lung collapsed on the way in. Her shoulder's torn up, hip's fractured. There's considerable internal damage. Her kidney's bruised, and her spleen—they're trying to repair, but they may have to remove it."

God."They—if they do, they can replace it. They can replace anything. What else?"

"He shattered her cheekbone, dislocated her jaw."

"That's bad. It's bad, but they can fix—"

"There's head trauma. It's a concern." He ran his hands rhythmically up and down her arms, kept his eyes on hers. "It's very serious."

The attending physician he'd collared in ER had told him Peabody looked as if she'd been struck head-on by a maxibus.

"They... they say her chances?"

"They wouldn't, no. I can tell you they have a full team on her, and if there's a need for outside specialists we'll get them. We'll get whatever she needs."

Her throat was flooded, and closed like a dam. She managed a nod.

"How much do you want me to tell him?"

"What?"

" McNab." He rubbed her shoulders now, waited while she closed her eyes, gathered herself. "How much do you want me to tell him?"

"All of it. He needs to know all of it. He—" She broke off, let herself cling for a moment when Roarke drew her in. "God. Oh God."

"She's strong. She's young and strong and healthy. It weighs on her side. You know that."

Broken. Shattered. Fractured. "Go tell him. Feeney's here, Feeney's with him. Go tell them."

"Come, sit down then." Gently, he kissed her forehead, her cheeks. "Wait with them. We'll all wait together."

"Not yet. I'm okay." She eased back, but took his hands, squeezed them before releasing them. "I just need to settle down. And I... I need to contact some people. I need to do... things, or I'll go crazy."

He drew her to him again, held tight. "We won't let her go."

An hour ticked by, minute by endless minute.

"We get any more?"

Eve shook her head at Feeney. She'd taken to leaning up against the wall outside the waiting area when she wasn't pacing. The waiting room had started to fill with cops. Uniforms, detectives, civilian drones who settled in to wait or stopped by for news.

"Her family—"

"I talked them into staying put, at least until we know more." She sipped from another cup of coffee. "As soon as we do, I'll give them her status. I played it down, a little. Maybe I shouldn't have, but—"

"Nothing they can do, for now."

"Right. If they have to get here, Roarke's already made arrangements for transpo. How's McNab?"

"Hanging on by a couple of greasy threads right now, but hanging all the same. Helps to have other cops around." His eyes went to slits. "He's meat, Dallas. There's not one badge in the city who won't put in the time to track him now he came after one of ours."

"He's meat," Eve agreed. "And he's mine."

She stayed leaning against the wall, only turning her head when she heard the clip of heels. She'd been expecting them.

Nadine streamed down the corridor, two uniformed officers at her back.

Good, was all Eve thought. She needed the distraction of going a round with someone.

But Nadine stopped in front of them, laid one hand on Feeney's arm, the other on Eve's. "How is she?"

Friendship first, Eve realized. When it came to the wire, friendship crossed the line first. "She's still in surgery. Nearly two hours now."

"Did they give you any idea when—" She stopped herself. "No, they never do. I need to talk to you, Dallas."

"Talk."

"Alone. Sorry, Feeney."

"No problem." He slipped back into the waiting area.

"Is there somewhere we can sit down?" Nadine asked.

"Sure." Eve simply slid down the wall until her butt met the floor. And looking up, sipped her coffee.

After a tap of her foot and a shrug, Nadine sat on the floor beside her. "As far as Peabody's concerned, I won't air anything you don't want aired. That's for her."

"Appreciated."

"She's my friend, too, Dallas."

"I know she is." Because her eyes stung, she closed them. "I know it."

"You give me what you want out there, and I'll get it out. Now let's take a minute to discuss the gorillas you've put on my tail."

Eve looked over at the uniforms, satisfied they were—per her orders—burly guys and seasoned. "What about them?"

"How do you expect me to work with a couple of storm troopers in my shadow?"